Pat Jones 
History
Ms. Pat attended the University of William & Carey and the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS. She has a bachelor’s degree in business, Masters in reading and elementary education. She also has a Education Specialist degree in Administration and Supervision. This is her 7th year at Bessemer Academy, and her 44th year teaching all together. She loves the family atmosphere at Bessemer Academy. Her favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 22:6. She has two children. A son, Mike, and a daughter, Tonya. She also has three granddaughters.
Jon Kress
History, Coach
Coach Kress is the history and reading teacher for grades 6th through 8th. He also serves as the defensive coordinator for the Rebels Varsity Football and the head coach for Varsity Basketball. He attended Coosa Valley Academy and Condordia University in Chicago. He played all sports in high school and even played football at Condordia. Past coaches have said that he resembled a small version of Jack Lambert. He has 6 years of teaching under his belt now, with 3 of those being at Bessemer Academy. In the rare case that he has downtime he enjoys golf and sports, especially Alabama and Pittsburg Steelers football. His favorite quote is: “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” -John Wooden
Bob Spurgeon
English, Coach
Coach Bob Spurgeon is the English teacher for 6th through 8th grade here at Bessemer Academy as well as an assistant football coach. He is a high school graduate of Vinemont High School, class of 1994. He later obtained a BS in Psychology from Troy University. Coach Spurgeon has been teaching for 16 years, 11 years at Kingwood Christian School, 1 year at Bullock Memorial High School, and now 4 years at Bessemer Academy. Coach Spurgeon is married to his wife, Betsy, of 16 years, and they have an 10 year old daughter, Sarah, who is in the 6th grade here at Bessemer Academy. A quote that he often uses is “Man in the arena” by Teddy Roosevelt and it states, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Marilyn English
Math
Ms. Marilyn English is one of the high school math teachers at Bessemer Academy. She attended Ensley High School and graduated in 1968. She then attended the University of Alabama and graduated in 1972. She holds a Bachelor’s in Education, a Major in Math and a Minor in Biology. She has now been teaching for 44 years. Her favorite quote is, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
Valerie Higgins
Math
Ms. Valerie Higgins is a math and career multimedia teacher here at Bessemer Academy. She received her Bachelor’s in Science and Math with a minor in history from Auburn University. Shortly after her graduation from Auburn, she began teaching at Bessemer Academy. This same year she began her Master’s degree and later received an M.Ed. in secondary math education. This is MS Higgins 6th year teaching at Bessemer Academy. 8th year teaching total. In addition to teaching at Bessemer Academy, Ms, Higgins is a youth pastor at Rock Creek Church of God. Her favorite pastime is sewing. She enjoys making original purses and bags.
Jonathan Wright
PE, Driver’s Ed, Weightlifting, Coach
Coach Jon is the physical education teacher, drivers ed teacher, and strength and conditioning coach for the football team. He attended the University of West Alabama and attained a physical education degree and certification in drivers ed. This is his 7th year at Bessemer Academy. He believes Bessemer Academy is a comfortable environment and a great place to work with great students. His favorite thing to do outside of school is thinking about football, grilling, and watching Alabama football.
Josh Wright
At BA since 2006
Health, Athletic Director & Head Football Coach
Josh Wright is the athletics director, health teacher, and head coach of the football team. Wright attended Jacksonville State University and attained bachelors in science and a minor in health and recreation. He has been teaching for 11 years and of those 11 he has been at Bessemer Academy 7 years and has been coaching now for 14 years. The thing he enjoys most about Bessemer Academy is the friendly staff, the kids, and the family atmosphere. Josh is married to Caroline McKinzey.
Amanda Howard
At BA since 2013
Science
Amanda Howard is the 6th, 7th and 8th grade science teacher and middle school computer teacher at Bessemer Academy. Both Amanda and her husband Colby graduated from Bessemer Academy in 2009. She graduated from the University of Montevallo in 2013 with superior Academic Achievement and Summa Cum Laude with a BS in Biology. Amanda came back to teach at Bessemer Academy because she previously experienced the family atmosphere and loved it. She also enjoys the fact that it is a much smaller environment compared to public schools.
Trina Ludvik
At BA since 2010
Science
Trina Ludvik graduated with an advanced academic diploma from Hueytown High School in 1990. She graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a B.S. in Secondary Language Arts Education (1994) and a M.A.E. in Secondary Language Arts Education (2010). She is certified to teach science and language arts grades 6-12. She has been married for 25 years and has two daughters that graduated from Bessemer academy. Mrs. Ludvik’s favorite part of Bessemer Academy is the atmosphere, autonomy, and of course the Rebel football. One interesting fact about Mrs. Ludvik is that she is a survivor of stage 3 breast cancer.
Kaye Reach
English
Ms. Reach graduated from Jones Valley High School in 1964. After high school she attended Samford University to get her BA degree in Spanish and English. Then she attended the University of Montevallo where she received a Masters in School Supervision.
Next, she attended the University of Alabama to get her AA in School Supervision. After college she taught English for four years and Spanish for 15 years. Also, Ms. Reach has been an assistant principle for Erwin High School and a principal for Rudd Middle School, Pittman Junior High, and Hueytown High School. Ms. Reach is currently the Honors English teacher at Bessemer Academy for grades tenth through twelfth. She taught one full year and has been a part time teacher for eight years. Some interesting facts about Ms. Reach are: her favorite color is blue, she loves cats, she plays the hand bells at church, she is in her church choir, and she taught some of the parents of her current students. She also has a 41 year old son who lives in Chicago. Ms. Reach loves the students and faculty at Bessemer Academy.
Paige Arrington
English and Theater Arts
Dr. Buffie Miller
Science
Emily Rodgers
English
Ben Ensor
History
Josh Cagle
Psychology, Speech, and Career Prep
Michelle Hyde
Reading
Nathan Kitchens
Spanish
Kaaren Hopping
At BA since 1999
Broadcast Journalism, Art, Family & Consumer Science, Speech
Kaaren Hopping attended the University of Montevallo and received a Bachelors Degree in Art. She has taught at North Birmingham Elementary School, Huffman High School, Charles A. Brown Middle School, Pratt City Elementary, Ensley High School, and Bessemer Academy. She has been married to Jack Hopping, the Commandant of the Marine Corps League of Alabama, for forty-seven years. They have one daughter named Ellen. Kaaren loves to travel, paint, sew, and listen to 60’s music. Also, she has been teaching at Bessemer Academy for 16 years. She loves Bessemer Academy because of the kind students and teachers.
Matthew Hooper
At BA since 2016
Math
Matthew Hooper graduated from Oak Grove High school in 2010. After high school he attended The University of Alabama and graduated in 2016 with a degree in Secondary in Mathematics Education. Along with this being Mr. Hooper’s second year teaching, he is also a youth pastor at Rock Creek Church of God. Matthew also enjoys fishing and carpentry.
